Tekken (2009) - It's the future and Tekken are a powerful corporation who run society. They also run a fight tournament called Ironfist and when a young lad joins the torunament, it's clear he's out for revenge on the owners of Tekken. Director Dwight Little positively drives the film along at a breakneck pace and it's wall-to-wall action from start-to-finish. Shamefully, I actually thoroughly enjoyed this. Glad I gave this Blu-ray rental a spin. Recommended.
A Study in Terror (1965) - A semi-classic Brit horror that's not quite in the same league as Hammer or Amicus, but is very good nonetheless. When Jack the Ripper starts leaving a bloody trail of mutilated prostitutes, Holmes is called in to solve the case. Which he does, although he doesn't tell anyone. That's the only bit that really baffled me. Otherwise this is a decent Brit shocker with a veritable stack of Brit acting talent on display. Well worth a look if you haven't seen it. I watched the 16x9 broadcast version that was on the Beeb recently.
The Warrior's Way (2010) - Jang is an Asian assassin who flees to America in the time of the Wild West. But his clan, the Sad Flutes, are on his trail. He also invokes the ire of a local bully soldier and his band of merry men. It's all done in such a demented way that it's hard not to like it. It's thoroughly bizarre, setting Asian fantasy violence in the Wild West is a curious mix, but in a strange way it really works. Nice Blu-ray and I'm glad I gave it a rent.
The Expendables (2010) - Blu-ray. Stallone assembles a cast of b-movie greats to populate this homage to the 80's action flick. The Expendables are a crack team of special ops who are assigned the job of infiltrating a tinpot regime. It's all big guns, loud explosions and tough talk, but something really felt lacking here. In spite of the impressive cast of action heroes, something just didn't feel like it was working. Overall, though, it's pretty enjoyable.
A Perfect Getaway (2010) - Blu-ray. Three couples travelling parallel to each other across a remote Hawaiian island learn that killers, posing as a couple, are heading their way, if they're not there already. Each couple start to view each other with suspicion. It's pretty predictable though, but Timothy Olyphant puts in a good performance, as does Steve Zahn. Not brilliant, but a passable time waster.
Unthinkable (2010) - Samuel L. Jackson is the master torturer/interrogator with a Government mandate. When a homegrown American turns Islamic terrorist and declares that he has planted three nuclear devices in three major US cities, it's time to bring in Jackson to find out where these devices are stashed. His job: get the information at any cost. There are no limits to what he is allowed to do. Carrie Moss is the voice of conscience and the film raises some interesting questions. But, this being a Hollywood film, the issues are not probed nearly deep enough for the film to have any real impact. Still, not bad, and it kept me interested. Just don't expect anything too profound.
If... (1968) - Lindsay Anderson's anarchic drama centering around a posh private school is brilliant in its dissection of class divisions and social etiquette. Malcolm McDowell is on top form as the pupil who decides he's not only going to rebel, he's going to wage war on the establishment. Absolute classic and shows what great Brit cinema is all about.
Stone (2010) - Edward Norton is a felon in the pen and Robert De Niro is the man assigned to assess him as his parole comes up. But Stone (Norton) sets up De Niro in a web of intrugue with his wife. Unfortunately, aside from the verbal sparring between De Niro and Norton, the film is a complete waste of time and pretty forgettable. So forgettable, in fact, I had to look it up to remind myself what it was about!
Maniac Cop 2 (1990) - Lustig's own follow up to the original film takes us deeper into the dark world of Matt Cordell, maniac cop, and is more of a standard slasher flick than the previous entry. Still, it's gory shocks and fun galore, so who's complaining? I'm not! This really needs a BD release (hint hint!).
Edge of Darkness (2010) - Blu-ray rental. Mel Gibson is homicide cop Thomas Craven, when his daughter is shot dead on the porch of his house, he obviously sets out to find out who and why. What he uncovers is not what he expects and soon unravels a sinister conspiracy involving crooked businessmen and politicians and dealings in nuclear materials. It's not bad, but could've been better. It didn't quite succeed at holding your interest throughout and tended to drag in places.
Delirious (1991) - John Candy is the writer of a trashy soap opera when he gets knocked unconscious and awakens to find the world transformed into that very soap opera. But he also soon realises that whatever he writes actually happens and sets about placing himself in some crazy situations. It's harmless enough, but not really very funny. Vaguely amusing is the highest praise I can give it.
You Can't Take It With You (1938) - Frank Capra teams up with James Stewart and Lionel Barrymore to make this amiable romp about an unconventional family at loggerheads with the big business that want to acquire their property and land for development. It's all about how money isn't everything and that freedom is better than being a wage slave. It's fun, though, and well delivered. I liked it.
Baseline (2009) - More mockney antics, but without a budget. ****ing rubbish.
Bad Day at Black Rock (1957) - Spencer Tracey is the stranger who arrives in Black Rock and meets with hostility. He's looking for an old friend of his, a Japanese farmer. But, being soon after Pearl Harbor, he begins to suspect that the locals may have done something bad to him, as the townsfolk are hell bent on him not getting out to the farmer's homestead. It's basically a film about crossed wires and misunderstandings, but it's brilliantly done. The locals are stupid for the most part, but menacing nonetheless. Watch for a young Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine too. Brilliant.
Starship Troopers (1997) - Another Blu-ray upgrade. Verhoeven's gung-ho sci-fi action spectacular charts the fortunes of mobile infantry battling an alien species. It's all mad shit and big guns and bigger explosions, but it's not unlikeable. I don't get why the film is accused of being fascist propaganda, as it's anything but. If anything, it takes the piss out of the military and all its various stereotypes. There's not a single 'real' character in the film, everyone is a caricature, and this is obviously Verhoeven's intent. It's actually anti-fascism. But that's America for you. If it's not fascism it'd be them damn Commies.
Personally, I take it at face value - it's a mindless sci-fi action epic and nothing more. Taken like that, it's first class entertainment.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1973) - I'd never seen this TV movie from '73, but I'd heard good things about it, so chucked it in for a watch. Well, this was a real treat from start-to-finish. A young couple move into the family home they've inherited...but they're not alone. There are malevolent creatures in the house who want the young wife for themselves. Although shot on a TV budget, it's a really creepy little number and highly effective. The monstrous little creatures really did give me the creeps, they're thoroughly unpleasant. Really enjoyed this one. Brilliant.
The Last Seven (2010) - Blu-ray rental. 7 people awake to themselves in a deserted London and set out to unravel the mystery of what has happened to them, which is well signposted and very predictable. Not very good really and I'm getting sick of seeing Tamer Hassan in every Brit film that seemingly comes out these days. My advice? Avoid!
Night of the Demons (2010) - Blu-ray rental. Remake of Kevin Tenney's rather forgettable 80's horror. This actually turned out be rather good and, IMO, improves on the lacklustre original (in which very little happens) and manages to capture that 80's vibe whilst retaining a modern sensibility. Some nice effects and decent acting make this worthwhile. But Eddie Furlong hasn't aged well. He looks rough as hell these days.
Ghost Story (1974) - A uni graduate invites two old school chums to spend some time with him at the ancestral home he has inherited. The place is rumoured to be haunted and one of their number begins to have some unusual encounters with the former occupants of the house. It's dull as dishwater and **** all happens. It tries to generate an M.R. James feel (even referencing him at one point) but it fails miserably. A complete and utter waste of celluloid IMO. I wondered if I'd respond differently to it this time around, but I didn't. Nice presentation from Nucleus though - top job.
Give 'Em Hell, Malone (2009) - Thomas Jane is Malone, a hardened killer following the murder of his family - and he's out for vengeance. It's all big guns, shoot-outs and corny dialogue, but it's also loads of fun. The film has a film noir script but filmed in a modern style and it works brilliantly. Director Russell Mulcahy does a first rate job and proves, finally, he's capable of making a decent film (I can finally forgive him for
Tale of the Mummy). Highly recommended. Brilliant.
Taxi Driver (1975) - Martin Scorcese's searing portrait of misfit Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro) is an absolute masterpiece, no question about it. Bickle takes a job as a taxi driver in the seedy underbelly of New York and encounters a child prostitute who he becomes obsessed with saving. It's a slow burner, but the locations and characters that populate the film make it riveting viewing. Really enjoyed revisiting this one and the film has lost none of its power or magic.
Enter the Dragon (1973) - Bruce Lee goes all James Bond and goes undercover and enters a martial arts contest with a view to toppling the criminal empire run by its host, the deadly Mr Han. It's all chop sockey and gung ho action, but it's a visual feast and Lee shows us what might have been, had he lived. Probably the most successful martial arts film ever made and when you watch it you can see why. It dispenses with much of the Asian sensibility and embraces the American cinema tradition instead, but in its own way it works extremely well. Fantastic soundtrack from Lalo Schifrin, some b-movie greats like John Saxon and Jim Kelly, and directed with flair by Robert Clouse. It's a winner, even if it isn't the best film the genre has to offer. Enjoyable though. Glad I picked up the Blu-ray, it looks amazing.
Hanna (2010) - A young girl is trained by her father to be a ruthless assassin. Once she comes of age, she decides it's time to confront the female assassin (Cate Blanchett) who killed her mother. It's not as predictable as it sounds and comes off as almost a kind of post-modern action film. I really liked this, more than I thought I would.
The Losers (2010) - A group of Special Forces Operatives are left for dead in Bolivia during a mission by their CIA boss. So you know it's revenge time, done in spectacular Hollywood style. Quite enjoyed this one.
Drive Angry (2011) - News alert: Nic Cage in another good film shocker! This time around he's Milton, a man who has come back from the dead (from hell, actually) to exact revenge on the religious cult that killed his daughter and who plan to sacrifice her baby. It's all violence and guns but great fun. An outstanding little film, actually. I enjoyed this immensely - I particularly like the 'Accountant', a nice touch. Well worth a watch.
Season of the Witch (2011) - Good heavens - another decent Nic Cage film! This is getting worrying. This time he's leading a band of 14th Century Knights to transport a witch to a remote monastery where her fate will be decided. It's believed that her sorcery is the source of the Black Death. But they soon come to realise that she may well be something rather more powerful than a simple witch. Nicely shot and good performances from Cage and Ron Perlman. I quite liked the idea that the film takes the stance that witchcraft and evil powers were real and not just superstitious nonsense. Recommended.